


Christmas in Midvale

by Thelxiope



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Christmas (obviously), Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - Freeform, F/F, First Meet Fic, Movie Adaptation, Sanvers - AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28157454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thelxiope/pseuds/Thelxiope
Summary: A Christmas themed farce in a world where: Maggie is a cop; Alex works for CatCo; Kara is just an alien; and Midvale has snow in December.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer
Comments: 51
Kudos: 76





	1. Our Troubles Will Be Out of Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, Sanvers fans!  
> Posting part one today and (hopefully) part two tomorrow.  
> Special thanks to [Smarterinabsentia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smarterinabsentia/), my best first reader.

Officer Maggie Sawyer was on foot patrol in front of the old Union Arms apartments when the ground underneath National City shook for two minutes. It felt like twenty. She took a knee and covered her head as the whole city thundered. When she got up, ears ringing from nearby car alarms, she immediately saw that the three-story apartment building no longer stood at right angles and that the row of adjacent garages had collapsed. 

She ran to the sagging structure, calling out for people trapped in the dented, debris covered cars. With no sign of anyone there, she turned her attention to the building which seemed to quiver and creak. If there were aftershocks, it could collapse. She ran around to the entryway and forced the door open. After a quick count of the 30 mailboxes, she took the stairs up two at a time to the third floor, then pulled the fire alarm. She called out from the hallway and knocked on closed doors.

"We're not supposed to run outside after an earthquake," protested one groggy resident.

"That is usually true, sir, but given the state of this building you need to get across the street until we can give the all-clear on the structure.”

Soon she had a group of residents congregated outside and was calling in on her radio when an older woman pushed up on her. "My nephew! He's not here. I sent him down to the laundry room, but I don't see him here!"

Maggie ran back into the building, down the stairwell, through the back hall to the laundry annex. It was empty. She turned back towards the exit.

Rumbling.  
Shaking.  
Crashing.

Darkness fell.

%\%\%

It was three days later before they could get her out. She had been trapped in a pocket of debris, next to a cracked water pipe, her leg in a puddle of fabric softener, with a little light and a little air through a gap up above.

Maggie knew how lucky she was. She could wiggle all her toes. She could move her arms and turn her head. Her radio was smashed, and her phone was gone, but she could yell for help. She was cold. She was hungry. She was even hungrier when she found she had landed on an old copy of _Smart Housekeeping_. The only distraction within reach and it was all about Thanksgiving and eating. The whole issue was filled with the retro stylings of its featured author, Alexandra Danvers, who appeared in various photos: aprons starched and frilly, long hair coiffed, smiling like a saint. There was something about her smile. Maggie felt like she kept her company while she awaited rescue, never losing faith that someone would save her.

At the hospital, they treated her like a hero. Her condition was good: dehydration and exposure, but no broken bones, only bruises and abrasions and a couple stitches in her shoulder. She would be okay after a few days of observation and recovery. The city put her up in one of the VIP rooms and kept the reporters away. Cards and flower arrangements and well-wishes from the residents of the Union Arms and local dignitaries left her a little embarrassed.

One of the nurses pulled the media cart past her doorway one afternoon and poked her head in. “Hey hon, do you want anything new to read? Today’s paper?”

“No thanks, Mary. What else do you have?”

“Some celebrity rags, a fashion magazine, the usual CatCo stuff.”

“Um, how about _Smart Housekeeping_?”

Her nurse chuckled. “Really? I would have guessed you were more of a _Living Smart & Simple_ subscriber.”

“Well,” Maggie laughed quietly too, “you’re not wrong. I know it might sound silly, but…” She went on to explain how she clung to that magazine while she waited out her rescue, using it almost like a talisman to resurface in the world of the living. She had found a curious comfort in the stories Alexandra Danvers wrote about cooking and crafting place-settings for her husband and new baby in their tasteful country house.

Mary sat gently on the side of the bed as she spoke and rested her hand atop Maggie’s. “I don’t think that sounds silly at all.” She leaned back and pulled the glossy title out of the stack. “You’re in luck. It’s the Christmas issue. How to you feel about glazed ham and hand wrapped wreaths?”

“It sounds pretty good actually,” Maggie said taking the magazine. “I normally work through the holidays.”

“No family? Nobody special?”

“Uh uh. Nope. Not this year.”

Mary was quiet for minute, forehead furrowed in thought. She stood and paced a step. “I’ve met her you know.”

Maggie wiggled to sit up better in the bed. “Alexandra Danvers?”

“No, no. Cat Grant. I took care of her son once a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Mary laughed again. “No, she wasn’t that bad really. Anyway, I should get on. Ring if you need anything. The doc will be in in a bit.” She smoothed out the blanket and Maggie thanked her again, already flipping through the pages to read what Mrs. Danvers planned for the holidays.

%\%\%

Cat Grant, the self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media,” sat behind her enormous desk in her enormous office in the enormous building downtown that sported her name and logo, bellowing for her assistant.

“I’m here, Ms. Grant!” Kara Danvers trotted in through the open glass doors with a stack of mail and a steaming hot latte. She presented these with the satisfaction of someone who both enjoyed and feared the close working relationship she’d forged with her boss, then stepped back and adjusted her glasses, awaiting further instruction. When Cat sipped her latte and shuffled the mail without speaking, Kara turned to leave.

“Keira!”

“Yes, Ms. Grant?”

“I pay you to deal with my letters, yes? What is this then?” She flapped an envelope in Kara’s direction.

“I’m sorry. It was marked ‘personal’ so I didn’t—“ She stopped speaking when Cat raised an index finger to silence her, and waited while she read to the end of the letter.

“Anyway, if you had done your job you would have seen this might concern you more than me.” The index finger started poking the letter in front of her. “Alexandra Danvers, who writes those housewife articles, she’s a relation of yours I believe? I need to see her right away.”

“Uh… Um… you want me to get her on the phone?”

“No, Keira. I want her to come to my office. You have my schedule, so set it up. I’m going to need her to have a special guest this year for Christmas: the police officer that saved all those people during the earthquake.”

“Can we do that? Just ask Alex to have a stranger into her home?”

“Of course I can. It’s going to be the feel-good feature of the season! Chop chop!”

Cat waved Kara away. As she walked back to her desk, she pulled out her phone and sent an all-caps text to her sister.

%\%\%

Seated at her desk in a studio apartment in downtown National City, Alex Danvers stared into the laptop glowing in front of her. She was muttering out loud as she typed. “…I gaze out at the lovingly tended landscape of our country home…” She looked through her balcony door to the sad tomato plant that sagged over in defeat. “…its winter vegetable garden, brimming with life…” She took a large bite of cold pizza from the plate sitting next to her and brushed some crumbs off her jeans. “…and returning to my gleaming kitchen I put the finishing touches on tonight’s Tagliatelle with Porcini Butter Sauce (see recipe below) …” Her phone began vibrating a second time in the last ten minutes. She tried to ignore it and continue, “…that pairs wonderfully with … the incessant buzzing of my phone.”

She snatched it off the desk. There were two messages: the first from Kara, in a panic about something and on her way over; the other, much more welcome message, from Mink’s Motorcycles to let her know that her new bike was ready to drive off the lot. A spec sheet with dramatic photos of the machine lay nearby and she brushed her hand across it, soon to be a reality. Maybe Kara would give her a ride to the dealership on her way back to the office. The prospect of this scenario lifted her mood immensely.

There was a sharp knock on the door. Alex ran over and swung it open. “It’s here, Kara! Can you take me over to Minks?” Kara clearly did not share in her excitement. “What… why the face? I know I still have a few more payments to make, but when I took this _Smart Housekeeping_ gig I promised myself a bike.” She took her sister by the shoulders. “You know it's very important to keep promises, especially to yourself.”

Kara pulled away. “Do you have to promise so expensively? Wouldn’t it be better if you used that money to finish your PhD?”

“This again.” She put her hands on her hips. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

“We,” she pointed back and forth, “are in trouble. Something terrible is about to happen.”

Alex’s eyes grew wide.

“It’s Cat Grant. She wants to see you in person this afternoon.”

“Is that all? You scared me for a minute. Maybe she wants to give me an end-of-year bonus. I've certainly helped increase readership and circulation.”

“I don’t know about that. You might want to sit down.” They moved to the couch. Kara took a deep breath. “Some nurse over at National City General wrote an actual letter to Ms. Grant, asking her to invite that police officer, the earthquake hero, out to your house for Christmas.” She paused to let that sink in.

“My house? Right yes, my house!” Then it sunk in. “Oh, my _house_.”

Kara nodded and sat on her hands to keep calm. “She wants to see you right away to arrange it.”

“Are you crazy?” Alex popped back up and gesticulated around the apartment. “Where am I going to get a country house? I hardly have a balcony.”

“I know! We’ll have to stall somehow. If she ever finds out we've been making all this up, she'll fire the both of us. And probably James too for taking and fixing all the photos. And Winn for doing your wardrobe and… oh no… your hair.”

Alex ran her hands up the newly shorn sides of her head to the longer part on top. “Oh shit.” She looked down at the photo of her new Ducati. “Bye-bye bike,” she said flipping it over.

Kara rose and stood next to her. “Maybe it’s not so bad. Maybe you can tell her that your kid has whooping cough or something. Or say that you couldn't possibly entertain anyone for Christmas because your husband is very private and he wouldn’t like it.”

“Yes of course, my husband. Kara.” This time she gestured to herself: boots, jeans, flannel, undercut. “Can’t you try to talk her out of it? I know she likes you.”

“No. She wants you. And when Ms. Grant wants something, she gets it. Or else.”

Alex sighed. “I think I’d rather get fired than face her.”

“But the rest of us?”

“Oh god, you’re right. I know!” She started walking over to her closet. “I’ve got to find something to wear.”

“Start with a hat.”

There was another loud knock on the door. Kara went to open it. It was Winn, with a wooden rocking chair.

“Hey Kara! I got here as fast as I could. This was outside.” He lifted the rocker over the sill into the apartment with a grunt.

“No! Not another one!” Alex wailed from across the room, pointing at the chair. “Just shove it aside for now. I’ll have to bring it to the storage unit. Kara, can you please, please, tell the office to stop delivering those things here?”

“How many have there been?” asked Winn.

“At least thirty, from my readers. They’ve been sending me rocking chairs every week since I wrote that piece about searching in vain for one like my ‘old granny’ used to have. It was way more manageable when they were sending their favorite kitchen gadgets. And now,” she reached in among her hangers and pulled out a tailored suit, “Cat Grant wants to send me a policewoman.”

%\%\%

They arrived at CatCo after the end of the regular business day. In the elevator, Kara continued to rehearse and bolster Alex all the way up to the 23rd floor.

“You’re simply going to put her off,” she said as if it were easy. “Remember the baby.”

“Yes. The baby we invented so I could avoid public presentations and be too busy for the webcast. I’m not sure that’s working out so well today.” Alex checked her appearance in the reflection in the polished chrome doors.

The elevator chimed and they exited into the bullpen at CatCo Magazine. Alex exchanged a dispirited wave with James who was on his way down to the art department. Kara escorted them into Cat’s office.

“Keira, where have you been? My mother emailed to let me know that she is going to keep Carter with her in London to have some kind of Dickensian Christmas experience. A fine time to finally start behaving like a grandmother. I need to you arrange my travel to meet them there for New Year’s.”

“Yes Ms. Grant.”

Alex whispered, “I’ll meet you guys after,” as Kara left the room.

Cat came around from behind her desk to address Alex. “Thank you coming all the way into the city Ms. Danvers, or do you prefer to go by Mrs. … your husband’s name?”

“No, just Danvers is fine. Ms. Grant.” Alex felt too warm in her coat but didn’t want to take it off and give the impression she was staying.

“Hmm mmm.” She scanned Alex from head to toe. “Your hair is… that’s quite a different look for you.” She poured a glass of amber liquid from a crystal decanter on her side bar, offering one also to Alex, who declined demurely. “So, Keira explained my idea?”

“She has.” Alex flexed her hands at her sides. “Please believe that there’s nothing I’d rather do than invite that policewoman to spend Christmas with me at my house, but—“

“Excellent. Ms. Danvers. I knew you would feel that way. After all, it is our duty isn’t it, as role models, and model citizens, to embrace this brave young woman who saved two dozen people, who was trapped for days, and who has no one with whom to spend the holiday?”

Alex tried to reply, but Cat was on a roll.

“You can imagine how much it will mean to her, and to our readers, to have a nice, homey Christmas with your wonderful cooking, with your wonderful family.”

“I do understand, but—“

“But your articles and posts, Ms. Danvers, I follow them faithfully. I even have my cook prepare your recipes. In October you had breast of guinea hen in madeira. That was perfection. Your husband is a lucky man to have you cook for him.”

“Um, thank you?”

“Your June piece with the strawberry Chantilly was superb. And your holiday menus, well, those are the real crowd pleasers.”

“Ms. Grant!” Alex interrupted, and immediately wilted as a shocked Cat turned slowly to look at her. “I’m sorry, but I simply cannot have a guest right now. The… my baby has been sick and we think it could be whooping cough and—“

“Well, then we will have to make sure that our heroine is up to date on her vaccines. Hmm?”

Alex took one last breath of protest, but now Cat had her by the arm. “This is going to be a great story for our next issue. Not only for _Smart Housekeeping_ , but for the _CatCo_ monthly itself. Can’t you see it? ‘National City Hero Enjoys Perfect Country Christmas’.” She gave Alex’s arm a terse squeeze and walked back to her desk. “And I’ll arrange a nice little bonus for you, in recognition of your cooperation. You could always use a bonus, couldn’t you?”

Alex’s shoulders sagged liked her tomato plant. “Oh, I guess. Yes, I could.”

“Splendid. My assistant will arrange all the details.”

Cat sat back down at her desk and watched Alex go. Her eyes fell on the photo of her son and the pang of loneliness she felt sparked another idea.

Meanwhile Alex stood waiting for the elevator and cursing her spinelessness. She generally thought of herself as a bit of badass and now she got steamrolled by tiny intimidating Cat Grant? She couldn’t let it happen. Especially for Kara. She spun around and marched back to Cat’s office, only to find Cat marching out to meet her.

“Ms. Grant! There’s something I really have to tell—“

“Ms. Danvers! This must be telepathy. I know precisely what you’re going to say.”

“You do?”

“Yes! You are going to invite me out for Christmas too, and I am going to happily accept!”

%\%\%

Kara joined Winn and James who had taken up a happy hour booth on the other side of the pool tables at their favorite bar, a round of drinks at the ready.

Winn wanted to call it unhappy hour and it showed. “Where was Alex when she texted?”

“Just leaving CatCo. She’ll be here any minute,” Kara answered.

“I can’t believe she went there to talk Ms. Grant out of it and ends up getting herself talked into it.”

“I can. It’s a catastrophe.” They were all slumped forward on their elbows.

Alex entered, paused near the doorway to pull off her coat. Kara waved her over, but first she stopped at the bar for a double whiskey neat.

“I already got you one of those.” Kara pointed at it when Alex joined them.

“Thanks.” She pulled the second glass over to her and took a long sip from that one too. She shook her head. “She literally, almost literally, twisted my arm. Every time I opened _my_ mouth, _she_ spoke. I felt like one of those ventriloquist dummies.”

“You are a dummy,” Kara muttered.

“I heard that.”

“Ms. Grant is so intensely germ phobic I really would have thought the whooping cough story would have put her off. Maybe the rest of us need to get sick too?”

“Look,” Winn said, “maybe it’s all for the best that this comes out. That we all come clean.” He found no consensus in the sullen expressions of his companions.

"I don't suppose my renunciation of heterosexuality, while exploiting its more traditional tropes for monetary gain, is the kind of social commentary Cat Grant would appreciate?"

“We’re all going to lose our jobs,” said James.

“Mom will be so proud of me,” Alex sighed. “I should go call her right now.”

“Maybe she’ll be happy we’ll be able to join her for the holidays this year since we won’t be working?” Kara said.

“There ya go. A traditional family Christmas out in Midvale.” Alex and Kara clinked their glasses together before drinking again.

Winn slapped his palms down on the table. “You guys. Your house! Your mother’s house in Midvale.’

“What about it?” Alex grabbed a napkin and was wiping up some of spill she made.

“It’s what you based your stories on right? Use the house!”

Kara was immediately enthusiastic, but Alex wasn’t so sure. “What about Mom? We’ll have to tell her the whole sordid plan.”

“She’ll be fine.”

“What about ‘my husband’?”

“Hmm.” Kara’s wheels were turning. “Maybe… Winn?”

His eyes widened at that, no doubt in fear.

“Come on. She knows him! Do you think we can just put _a pair of glasses_ on him and she won’t know the difference? And before you suggest it, she knows James too.”

Kara crinkled and frowned. “Fine. Your husband is away on a trip.”

“What about my whatever-month old baby?”

“He took the baby with him?” The table let out a collective groan. Kara added, “I can’t think of what else to do.”

“There’s still one giant problem. I can’t actually cook.”

“That’s the easiest part! Eliza will be there. They’re mostly her recipes anyway, right?”

Alex finished off both her drinks. “She’s going to kill us.”

Ever optimistic, Kara straightened and gave a resolute nod. “But she’ll do it. I know she will.”

%\%\%

A few days later, Alex and Kara made the long drive to the house in Midvale. Alex wanted to discuss the ins and outs of their plan, and what they were going to do if it blew up in their faces. But snow had been falling lightly and Kara’s spirits were lifted by the Christmas music she played nonstop since leaving National City. She hoped to spread some of this cheer to Alex by finding some positive lights to hang on the situation.

“At least she’s kinda cute,” she tried.

“Ms. Grant?”

“What? No! Well yes, but no. The policewoman.”

“You know I generally try to avoid the police, Kara, cute or not.”

As they pulled up the driveway, Eliza came out to the porch to greet them wrapped in a throw. Alex piled all their bags into Kara’s arms and followed her up the steps. She stopped at the top for a hug from her mother. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this.”

“You know I don’t approve of all this subterfuge, but as long as you can get it sorted out sooner rather than later… well, until then, I’ll always help you girls.”

For all of her maternal disappointment and reluctance to play along, Eliza had done a thorough job getting everything ready. She set up the master bedroom for Alex and the guest room for the policewoman. She installed several picture frames that Kara had dropped off displaying Alex’s stock photo family with James’ Photoshop handiwork covering the rest.

When Kara reappeared, her arms were full of a different kind of bundle. “Great Rao! You also rented a baby!?!”

“No,” Eliza took the baby from Kara and went back inside. “This is the Wright’s baby. I told my book group that I could do a little daycare for them over the holidays this year.”

Alex opened her mouth to complain.

“I didn’t know you were bringing this whole charade home. And now, maybe it will work out for you.”

Kara was beside herself, fussing and cooing over the baby.

Alex rolled her eyes. “Do we have anything else to set up? Do we know what time they’re getting here? How do I look?”

“Surprisingly, not as gay as usual,” said Kara.

Eliza ignored the comment and the face Alex made at her sister. “You look lovely, sweetheart.”

The sound of car tires crunching snow and gravel announced the arrival of their first guest.


	2. Holiday Meetings and Gay Happy Greetings

Maggie popped the hatch of the SUV that CatCo hired to drive her to Midvale. She lifted out a rocking chair and carried it up to the porch before going back to collect her things and tip the driver. She wore her single-breasted dress blues for the occasion and smoothed out the lines of her uniform before she tucked her hat under her arm and rang the bell.

The door opened almost immediately. The woman who answered looked like Mrs. Alexandra Danvers, but… different too, quite different. And Maggie’s smile widened.

“Hi, I’m Maggie Sawyer, here to meet your… sister?”

The woman stared at her and blinked. “I’m my sister. I mean, I’m me. It’s me. You’re here for me.” At that, she blushed a little and stuck out her hand. “I’m Alex. It’s nice to meet you. Please come in.”

She took the outstretched hand into her own. In spite of the conservative lines of the pantsuit she was wearing, this Alexandra Danvers was pinging Maggie’s gaydar in a big way. She needed to stifle those ideas and fast, especially since seeing Alex’s in-person smile was a hundred times more affecting than those publicity photos.

“My sister is here, actually. This is Kara. And this is my mother, Eliza.” Alex ushered Maggie in and indicated the women standing behind her.

“Merry Christmas Maggie. It’s so nice to have you, here, at my daughter’s house.” Eliza stepped past Kara to take Maggie’s bag away to the guest room. “I’m here to help out for the holiday. Please make yourself at home.”

“Thank you so much for having me. All of you.” Maggie contemplated Alex for beat. “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect… I thought you were…” Then she remembered, “I have a present for you!” She went out and lugged in the rocking chair from the porch. She presented it with a triumphant flourish.

“Oh, a rocking chair!” Alex ran her fingers over the carved swirls along the top. “I think this might the perfect one. Look Kara! It’s lovely isn’t it.”

“Yes. I think it’s exactly what you’ve been hoping for.” But Kara was sizing up Maggie, not the chair.

“I read that article of course, where you were trying to find one, and…” Maggie focused her attention back on the chair. “When I was little, my dad had one. He showed me how there are different kinds of rocking for different moods.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, first, there’s the long, deep rock, when you’ve got a problem to solve. It helps you think. Then there’s the jittery fast rock, when you have excess energy to burn off. And then there’s the lazy rock, when you stay in the chair and scoot across the room for your drink.”

Behind Alex, Maggie saw Kara giggling and she was suddenly self-conscious about rambling on so much. But Alex didn’t seem to notice.

“I never knew there was so much to a rocking chair.” She smiled and took a step back in the entry way. “Won’t you take off your things.”

Maggie suppressed a grin and reminded herself to be a respectful houseguest. Kara took her overcoat and exited with what Maggie would describe as a flounce. “I appreciate you having me here. The house looks amazing. Exactly like I imagined.”

“Well, we read a little about you too. It’s an honor to have you,” said Alex.

In another room, the baby started crying. Maggie looked around, concerned. “Oh no, I hope I didn’t wake the baby?”

“What? _Pffft_ , no. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s fine.” Alex waved her off, but the baby kept crying.

“It must be time for something? Ah!” She looked at her watch. “It is. It’s bath time.”

“Is it?” Alex started to get worried about this baby thing.

“Yes, you mentioned it in last month’s article. Babies are pretty cute in the tub. Is it ok if I join you?” asked Maggie.

“In the tub?”

“Washing the baby?”

“Oh! Um, yeah, sure. Just wait one second….” Alex ran off and Maggie looked around the living room and admired the large lit up Christmas tree she had seen in the bay window when she arrived.

Alex came back minutes later with the baby in her arms. “Mom is getting the tub set up in the bathroom.” The three of them went in together.

Eliza asked twice if she could help, hovering, worried.

“No, we’ve got this. Don’t worry Mom.”

As Alex hesitantly started to undress the baby, Maggie took off her jacket, secured her tie in the buttons of her shirt and rolled up her sleeves. She washed her hands like she was getting ready for surgery. “Is your mom worried about a stranger being around her grand baby?” Maggie asked, her brow furrowed with concern and understanding.

“Hell no. In fact, you can wash him if you want.” She stepped back so Maggie could take over, unable to hide her surprise at the ease with which she did so.

“I’ve had some experience taking care of my cousins when they were small. He is cute.” She fluffed the tuft of dark hair on his head. “I know you haven’t wanted to say in the magazine, but can you tell me his name?” She checked the temperature of the bath water and unsnapped the baby’s clothes.

“Sure. It’s Daniel… Danny.” Alex answered without adding that that was also the name of the stuffed tiger she had as a child.

“Nice. Does he talk yet?”

“No?”

“Ha! Right? They do kind of have their own language don’t they.” She gently lifted the baby up and into the water. “Come on buddy… Um, Alex? Did you say the baby’s name was Danny?”

“Yes,” answered Alex, confused until she followed Maggie’s gaze. “Right! it’s Dani, with an 'I' — short for Danielle.”

“Sorry, my mistake.”

Alex was watching Maggie wash the baby, or more precisely, Maggie’s forearms.

“Is she named after her father? Where is your Mr. Danvers anyway?”

“There’s no Mr. Danvers.” She said it absent-mindedly, dismissively, like all the other questions she’s had to field about male friends or female roommates or non-work partners.

Maggie heard something familiar in Alex’s tone and raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Oh, I meant there’s no Mr. Danvers because he kept his own name. I mean I kept _my_ name, Danvers. My husband has a different name. He’s… he had sort of a situation with his own parents and needed to be there instead of here.”

Maggie was horrified. “Are you saying this magazine thing is keeping you from being together for Christmas?”

“What? No! No, nothing like that. It’s… it’s complicated. Don’t worry. I’m really glad that you’re here.”

Baby Dani started splashing, sending water and suds up in the air and into Maggie’s face. “Take it easy princess! You’re rockin’ the boat.” She laughed and squeezed her eyes shut. “Soap!”

“Hold on, I got it.” Alex grabbed a dry cloth and with steady hand on Maggie’s shoulder reached over with the other to dab the suds from her eyes. “Good?”

“And here…” Maggie lifted her other cheek towards Alex. Her dimples deepened.

Alex took an extra second to look closely at the freckles dotting the other woman’s smooth skin. “Done. Safe to open now.”

“Thanks.” Maggie finished up and wrapped the child in a fluffy towel.

“You are pretty good at that. Do you want kids of your own? Ever thought about getting married?”

“Sure, I’ve thought about it. But I think I’m living under a curse. I keep meeting terrific women who are unavailable.” Maggie bounced the baby on her hip.

“Oh.” Maggie saw when the note of recognition struck. “Oh, that’s too bad.” Alex said, barely maintaining a neutral expression.

Maggie was laughing “Isn’t it though.” She would have continued, but she was cut off by the return of Eliza.

“Alex, Ms. Grant is due to arrive soon for dinner. I can help Maggie finish up.”

%\%\%

Alex was drying her hands on a towel as she walked into the living room to find Kara bent over her phone. “Mom says it’s almost time for Cat?”

Kara looked up. “She’s not coming.”

“What? Why?”

“She texted me that something’s up with _American Home_ and she can’t get away tonight. But she will be here bright and early tomorrow for Christmas brunch, and she wanted me to emphasize this to you strongly: she is ‘looking forward to watching Alexandra make pancakes’.”

“Oh god, the pancakes.” Alex moaned. “What’s going on with the magazine?”

“She’s freaking out about that rival magazine coming out of Metropolis, owned by the same company that owns the Daily Planet. She heard that they’re starting a feature to compete directly with you starting in the new year. Don’t be surprised if she orders you to have another baby to compete.”

“Please no. The one baby is plenty to deal with and it isn’t even real.”

As if on cue, Maggie entered carrying a happy baby with a happy looking Eliza following behind. “Here we are. All dressed and ready to eat.”

“The both of you, huh?” Alex smiled when Maggie nodded. “Well, Ms. Grant can’t come until tomorrow so there’s no point in waiting.

“I’ll go finish up then,” said Eliza, turning to go back to the kitchen.

“Isn’t Alex cooking?” Maggie and the baby looked back and forth between them.

“Mom, is helping me.” Alex stepped over and put her arm around Eliza. “I test all my recipes out on her, so she knows what I’d like her to do. We thought she would relieve me in the kitchen this evening so I can spend more time with my guests.”

“Well, it’s just us now,” Maggie said indicating the Danvers and herself, “maybe we can be in the kitchen together?”

“No! I mean, no please, you’re still our guest. You should relax and let us wait on you a little. Kara can keep you entertained” Seeing Maggie’s disappointment as she lifted the baby out of her arms, she added, “But you could play bartender for us while we get ready. Lord knows I could use a drink.”

Eliza shook her head. “Not while you're cooking, Alexandra.”

%\%\%

Surprisingly, dinner went off without a hitch and they gathered after in the living room. Kara brought some damp logs in for the fire, but had no trouble getting it started. Around the big Christmas tree, with the fireplace crackling, and snow wafting outside, Alex thought that everything had really come together perfectly. Until Eliza reminded Alex that she had better go ‘call her husband.’

Alex sat in the bedroom upstairs, on her phone, yes, but scouring news articles referencing Maggie and trying to find more information about her. There wasn’t much. Before she rejoined the others, she went through the kitchen and poured herself two fingers of scotch and drank it quickly. She found a small thermos and poured more of the liquor into that, then made a pass through the mudroom to slip it into the pocket of her coat.

She returned to find Kara embarking on a performance of all sixteen of her favorite holiday songs. If anyone noticed that they didn’t all originate from Earth, no one mentioned it.

When Eliza started yawning after Kara’s second encore, Alex stood up. “I think I’d like to go out for some air.”

“Do you mind if I join you?” Maggie asked.

“Great idea!” said Kara. “That you go, the two of you. I have to… finish the dishes, probably.”

Alex tugged on her boots and Maggie grabbed their coats. They bundled up in hats and scarves and decided to walk to the park at the end of the lane. Outside the snow sounded beneath their feet and their breath unfurled around them. The night was dark and muted. At the bottom of drive, Alex pulled out the thermos and offered it to Maggie.

She accepted it, happily. “What a night.”

Alex agreed.

Maggie made a toast with the thermos, “Moonlight, snow… lovely company,” and passed it back to Alex.

“So, you didn’t have anyone to see this Christmas? Family?” Alex wasn’t the greatest at making small talk.

“Long story.”

“Significant other?”

“Nope.”

“Insignificant other?”

Maggie guffawed, “No. Not even."

“Anybody you’re at least crushing on?”

“Oh, but definitely.”

“What’s she like?”

Maggie laughed again, this time at Alex grokking the pronoun without missing a beat. “Well, at first she was someone I admired and liked from afar, but then I got to know her a little and … now I want to know her better.”

“Oh.” Alex hid her disappointment by sipping from the thermos. “And she wasn’t available to hang out for the holidays?”

“Well, she’s … uh… she’s married? So it can’t really go anywhere, and I’ll just have to suffer in sadness until it fades.” She took the thermos from Alex.

“Oh.” Alex said again. “Do you have anything in common?”

“I’m not sure. I think so. But I think her life is a lot about safety and comfort, and mine is quite the opposite of that. Although I suspect…”

“What?”

“I think there’s something else going on with her.” Maggie craned her head around to look Alex in the eye. “She seems like she has a secret.”

Alex wrapped her scarf a little tighter around her face. “Are you a detective?”

“Not yet.”

“…Are you flirting with me?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Maggie cast her eyes down and smiled self-consciously.

“That’s too bad.”

Maggie stopped short. “What?”

“I’m sorry. I’m…” she sighed out a short laugh, “…flattered, that you would flirt… even though I’m a married woman and everything.” She twirled her hands like a conjurer materializing doves.

They had arrived at the park. Alex looped her arm with the shorter woman’s and kept walking. “But, you _do_ like me?”

“Yes,” Maggie explained. “You’re so different from what I expected. It kinda knocked me for a loop. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say that to you, but…”

Alex brushed a spray of snow off one of the benches and sat them down. And watched Maggie continue.

“… I almost died. So I guess I’m feeling like, life is short and we should … flirt with the girls we want to flirt with, you know? But I know you’re married and that means something.” She looked back at her. “Although I do… find it hard to believe that you are married.”

“I find it pretty difficult myself.” Alex was going to let Maggie interpret that on her own.

“If you don’t mind me saying, you don’t act very much like a married person.”

“Right now, I don’t feel like I am.”

“Really?”

“Hmm hmm. Must be the moonlight and the snow.” Although it was probably the scotch. Alex gathered Maggie’s hands into her own. “Have you ever kissed a married woman?”

“No.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re not really the type are you.”

“No, but… I wish I was.” Maggie made no effort to stop Alex from inching even closer.

“Me too.” She sighed and pulled back abruptly. Alex took in a lungful of bracing cold air. “We should get back.”

“Yes,” Maggie agreed. “I think we’d better.”


	3. Ring-a-Ling-a-Ling-a-Ding-Dong-Ding

On Christmas morning Alex was up before the rest and having one of those long, deep rocks in the chair. Kara came in. As she pulled her sweater on over her shoulders, she stopped and kissed the top of her sister’s head.

“Merry Christmas! … I hope? Are you ok? What’s going on?” She slid over an ottoman and sat close to Alex.

“You know I had nice time with Maggie yesterday?”

“Uh huh. Me too.”

“Yeah, sure, but… Kara, I’m finding it really hard not to admit everything to her.” Her hands gripped the arms of the chair as she started rocking more vigorously. “I really like her and don’t like lying to her. It certainly would be easier if we could get her on board before Cat gets here.”

“I was thinking the same thing myself. Do we trust her?”

“I do. I think I do. She seems really smart, and she’s so tough, and so beautiful.”

“Beautiful, huh?” Kara reached over to slow Alex’s frenzied movement. “How about, for now, we put the brakes on all that, and stick with the plan. Besides,” she added as she stood, “Maggie is a cop. She might have to arrest you for making false statements or something. You don’t want to end up in handcuffs on Christmas.”

Alex started rocking thoughtfully again as Kara walked out of the room.

%\%\%

A little while later, when Cat Grant’s arrival was imminent, Alex was making a mess with brunch in the kitchen.

“Please, Mom,” Alex urged, “you have to show me how to do the pancake flip with the griddle pan.” She indicated the setup she had standing by: batter mixed but lumpy and cookware heating on the stovetop.

“I wish I could, Sweetheart. But that was all your dad. He was the flipper. You can do this. It’s only regular physics, not astrophysics.”

Alex ignored the barely disguised barb about her dropping out of school and returned to the task. She poured the batter into the hot pan. “Ok, so it’s Newton’s laws of motion then. The body at rest stays at rest until force is applied. That’s launch velocity.” She gripped the pan, flipped the pancake, and it landed with a ‘ _sploosh_ ’ on top of the stove.

“Insufficient.” Eliza swapped the pans out so Alex could pour out another attempt.

“I miscalculated the height and air time.” She took the pan by the handle again and flipped. A moment later the pancake peeled itself off the ceiling and landed as a sodden lump back in the pan. “Crap.”

Just then a knock at the back door.

“Go get it, Alex. I’ll get this set up again.”

She went and opened the back door. Where a woman stuffed a large baby into her arms, exclaiming, “Hi, I’m Ellen Gerzig. Thanks for watching Louis today; he won’t be much trouble. Your mom’s a life saver!” and took off. Alex rushed back to the kitchen.

“This isn’t the Wright’s little girl!” She whispered, feeling a wave of panic wash over her. “This baby is huge! This baby has blonde hair! Did you know a different baby was coming today?”

Then the front doorbell rang and they heard Kara yell, “I’ll get it!”

“Here, Mom, take him. Take him to the bedroom or something.”

Out in the foyer, Kara swung the door open wide. “Merry Christmas!”

“Thank you, Kara. Do you have a place for these?” Cat pointed back to her driver loaded up with several shopping bags full of wrapped presents.

Kara nodded and stepped aside so he could go deposit them under the tree. “Wow, thanks! It’s nice to see you Ms. Grant.”

“It was nice of your sister and her husband to invite me. Is she around?”

“She’s in the kitchen, getting ready for brunch.”

“Hello Ms. Grant.” Alex came up suddenly behind Kara. “Thank you for coming,” she said, but Cat was already moving past them towards Eliza, caught in the hallway.

“Oh, my goodness. There _is_ a baby.”

“And that is my mother.” Alex continued with a grimace. “But unfortunately, my husband won’t be able to join us.”

“You don’t say. That’s too bad. This baby is adorable. We are going to have to start including more photos in your work.” She reached out and tickled the baby’s feet.

The baby responded by blowing a loud, wet, raspberry.

“Uh oh!” Maggie cracked behind them, “That’s no way to greet a celebrity!”

Alex spun around wide-eyed. Eliza quickly turned to carry the baby off.

Maggie looked curiously at the large baby all bundled up for the weather. “Were you on your way out?”

“Nope! We’ve been getting brunch together. Sleep well?’

Kara jumped in with introductions and herded everyone towards the kitchen. “Ms. Grant, have you met Officer Sawyer?”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

Maggie pulled out a chair for Cat, who handed her her coat and bag.

“We didn’t miss the flapjack flipping, did we?” asked Cat, tucking in to the breakfast table.

Alex, flustered, admitted that she wasn’t much in a flipping kind of mood. But when Maggie blinked those beautiful brown eyes at her and asked, “Just one. Please? For me.” Alex relented.

She poured the batter, grabbed the handle, did the math, and flipped a perfect pancake. “Hey!”

Maggie cheered the loudest as Alex beamed like Earth’s yellow sun.

%\%\%

After brunch, the Danvers sent their guests to sit in the living room while they cleaned up.

“Have you been enjoying yourself, Ms. Sawyer?” asked Cat, taking out her phone after briefly taking stock of her surroundings.

“I have, yes. Thanks again for arranging this for me. The Danvers’ have been so nice.”

“Mm hmm.” She gave an odd look when Maggie sat down next to her on the couch.

“Can I ask you a question? Have you known Alex for a while? Do you know her well?”

“Primarily though her articles, dear, same as you.” She peered over her phone at Maggie. “Why do you ask? Has there been a problem?”

“No, no, nothing like that. It’s just… I couldn’t help but wonder,” she leaned forward and lowered her voice, “do you think she’s happy, here with her husband?”

“The husband who’s missing his baby’s first Christmas? Yes, frankly, I wondered about that too. I have a nose for news, as you know, so something about all this doesn’t smell right. Certainly, brunch smelled wonderful, but I sense that there are parts of the story that are missing.”

Maggie nodded as Cat continued, “But who am I look a cash cow in the mouth? So to speak. I’d rather they gloss over a bit of estrangement than blow up the whole farm.”

Kara suddenly clattered into the room. Maggie could have sworn she heard a whooshing sound. “Oh hey, hope I’m not interrupting. I thought you would like to know that I saw an announcement earlier about an ‘Olde Time Christmas Dance’ happening later. We can celebrate the season! And all that.”

Alex had returned with Eliza a step behind her. “I don’t know. Really Kara?”

“I think it sounds lovely,” said Eliza.

“Then you guys should all go! I’ll stay here and watch the baby,” said Kara, ignoring the crinkle appearing on Alex’s forehead.

“Do you dance, Alex?” Maggie asked.

“Well, sure. I get around.” She smiled and the crinkle smoothed away.

Maggie laughed. “In that case, I think it would be fun.”

%\%\%

Later that afternoon Cat’s driver brought them all to the community center in downtown Midvale, completely decked out in Christmas country kitsch. There were food and drinks, a bake sale, crafts too, a band playing, and people were dancing. Square dancing.

"Oh my,” said Cat.

“Oh no,” said Alex.

“Not the ‘getting around’ you were expecting?” Maggie chuckled.

“No. But clearly I should have.”

“Come on.” Maggie held out for Alex’s hand. “Let’s do it.”

“You know how?”

“I learned once, as a kid. But you simply watch what everyone else is doing and listen to the caller,” she shrugged, “and have some fun.”

Alex hesitated.

“Don’t make me use the I-was-trapped-under-building-for-three-days card.”

Heartache pulsed through Alex at Maggie’s mention of her ordeal, but there was no anguish in the other woman’s face, only bright enthusiasm for the hoedown. She took her hand and they jumped into the fray.

They lost track of time sashaying and promenading. They lost track of how many times they collided with other dancers and stepped on each other’s toes. They were breathless from dancing, breathless from laughing.

When the last tune ended, the caller stepped away to a round of applause. After a moment, the players shuffled their music and began again. A lilting country waltz had all the surrounding couples coupling up. Maggie’s impulse was to sweep Alex off her feet and into her arms, but she hesitated, unsure, lingering at the edge of the dance floor.

Her surprise was evident when Alex pulled her back saying, “You can lead!”

They began dancing with a formal distance between them, but as they swayed and twirled, Alex kept pulling Maggie closer, reveling in the warmth of Maggie’s hand on her back, the press of those shiny silver buttons against her chest. Halfway through the song they were nearly cheek to cheek.

As soon as the music stopped, they stepped apart. A current passed between them like telepathy, and they turned together and headed towards the exit.

The sun had just gone down and washed the square in a deep purple twilight. Alex and Maggie walked the path around to the rear of the building, oblivious to Cat Grant frowning daggers out at them from inside the windows.

“This has been really nice. I kind of hate to go home tomorrow.”

“That’s right. This is our last… your last night here.”

Maggie took a deep breath of December and nodded. They stopped at the end of the walkway. Alex wanted to keep going but had on the wrong kind of shoes. In the courtyard, there were several horse-drawn sleighs parked, perhaps for the decoration, perhaps as real transportation from some of the nearby farms. Maggie suggested they sit in one.

“Your carriage, m’lady,” she gestured.

“We can’t do that.”

“It’s just parked here. Nobody will mind.” They carefully climbed in. The seat was narrow, and they had to squeeze close together to fit. “We’ll pretend we’re going for a ride.”

“Ok” Alex chuckled, “Where should we go?” The horse in front chuffed and his harness jingled. “Uh. Hold on… We’re moving?”

Maggie stuck out her lip and gave a dramatic shrug. “He wasn’t tied up.”

“Nope.”

“I guess we’re getting that ride after all.”

They laughed and sat back, letting the horse pull them along for a few minutes. Enjoying the peace after the crush and hubbub of the dance, lost in thought.

Alex broke the silence. “Speaking of marriage…”

“Were we?”

“Well, no. I guess I’m thinking out loud. I have had marriage on my mind a bit lately.”

“Me too.”

“If I wasn’t married… what would you say to me right now?”

“I don’t think I’d say anything, actually.” Maggie smirked and made Alex, cheeks already pink from the cold, turn pinker.

“Go on.” Alex teased.

“Are you making fun of me this time?”

“No.” Alex turned to look at Maggie directly. “I’m _having_ fun. That’s true. But if I’m making fun of anyone, it’s ‘Alexandra Danvers’.”

“What do you mean?” Maggie tipped her head to the side, ever earnest, always true.

“I mean, she thinks she’s so smart and has it all figured out, but then gets herself into a mess and hasn’t the moral courage to get herself out of it.”

Maggie wanted to press for details, but instead… “It’s sounds like you’re not very happy.”

“I suspect right now I’m as happy as I have any right to be.”

“I think you deserve to have a real, full, happy life.”

“You do?” Alex’s gaze dropped from Maggie’s eyes to her lips.

“I do. Um, maybe we should figure out how to turn this thing around.”

“Not yet, Maggie. I really need to tell you something. I’m—“

“PULL. THE SLED. OVER!” Red and blue police lights lit up the canopy of trees and bounced off the snowbanks around them.

“Uh oh.” Maggie started to giggle, but quickly masked it with a more serious expression when she saw the concern flashing over Alex’s face like those beacon lights. She picked up the reins and pulled back gently until the horse stopped.

The sheriff’s deputy approached on foot as an older man climbed out the other side of the patrol car. “Where do you two think you’re going?”

“That’s what we’d like to know,” Maggie quipped.

“They think they’re taking my sleigh out for a joyride. Get out you two!”

“We didn’t steal it!” Alex had her hackles up for a host of reasons.

“Well, ma’am, you’re four miles away from where Mr. Haywood here parked it.”

“Honestly sir,” Maggie laid a calming hand over Alex’s, “the horse walked away with us and we hadn’t realized how far off we’d gotten.”

“Tell it to the judge!” said Haywood.

“This way please, ladies.” The sheriff opened the rear door of his car and they climbed out of the sleigh.

“You’re arresting us?”

“No, Alex. He’s detaining us. Right, sir? Down to the station to sort it out?”

The deputy nodded. “Correct.”

“And then Mr. Hayseed— “

“Haywood!”

“—Mr. Haywood can take his rig back home. With our apologies.” Maggie slid into the back seat next to Alex. “So,” she said softly, “is this another first for you, Alexandra?”

“Huh?”

“You know, like square dancing, or pancake flipping, or bathing an infant?”


	4. Reminding Me on Christmas Day to Think of You and then Be Gay

Cat had been so distracted by the elopement of Alex and Maggie that she had stranded Eliza at he dance to go find them. She normally wouldn’t have concerned herself with the affairs of others, but any hint of scandal involving one of her top properties could directly affect CatCo’s reputation. They were going to have to be more careful, and she needed to make that clear to Alex as soon as possible.

When she got back to the house, few lights were on, although it seemed no one was around. She didn’t even bother to remove her coat before she went through to the kitchen to pour herself a drink and wait. But there was someone there, bundled up and leaving out the back door with… the baby?!

“Hey!” The person didn’t hear her or didn’t stop. “Hey!!” Cat yelled again, running to catch up. She yanked open the door in time to see a car driving away in the dark. “Hey!!! That’s the _Smart Housekeeping_ baby!!!”

It made sense to her why Alex was so protective and reluctant to be public with information about her family and the baby: It was too dangerous.

“Keira!” She called but got no answer. “Kara Danvers!” She shouted up the stairs and down. Cat didn’t know that after abandoning Eliza, she had called Kara to come pick her up as soon as she could. Kara had already taken off before the Gerzigs left the driveway.

She pulled out her phone and called the police to report that she, Cat Grant, had at this very moment witnessed the kidnapping of Alexandra Danvers’ famous baby. She gave the best description she could and details about the getaway car, then paced back and forth on the front porch texting 911 messages to Kara too. A few minutes later a patrol car rolled up the drive.

“Well. That was fast!”

Cat was even more surprised when the deputy got out and opened the back door for Alex and Maggie. “Sorry about all this, Mrs. Danvers, Officer Sawyer. We should have realized who you were.”

“It’s all right. And we’ll send a proper apology to Mr. Haywood.”

Two state police cruisers pulled up the driveway.

“Now what?” Alex asked the universe.

Cat rushed over. “I’m very sorry Ms. Danvers, the baby has been kidnapped.”

“It has?”

“That’s why the police are here. Let’s all go inside.”

She practically pushed Alex up the steps into the house. Eliza and Kara were standing there.

“Where did you…?” Cat was confused by their presence, then mad. “Kara! Why weren’t you watching the baby? He’s been kidnapped!”

“What baby?”

“Your sister’s baby!”

“Which one?” Maggie wondered.

But Alex was already dismissing Cat’s panic. “No, it’s ok. It’s fine. Everything is fine.”

“If it is not asking too much, would you mind explaining how it is ‘fine’?” Cat glared ominously at Alex. “We have promoted you to be a role model, a shining example of a successful wife and mother, but the truth is you don’t even care that your child has been kidnapped because you are too busy fooling around with Ms. Sawyer while your husband is away.”

“Hey,” Maggie interjected, “that’s not true.”

Alex calmly stepped forward. “Look, first of all, I thank the police for responding to Ms. Grant’s call, but there has been no kidnapping. The baby,” she paused and added for Maggie’s edification, “both babies, belong to friends of my mother, who was helping out with some holiday childcare. In fact, this is her house. I have no baby. I have no house.” Once again she turned to Maggie, “I have no husband.”

“And she can’t cook.” added Eliza, also, it seemed, for Maggie’s benefit.

Cat was appalled. “Of all the dirty, deceitful tricks to play…”

“But Ms. Grant!” said Kara, “we were only trying to protect the magazine for you.”

“Protect? Do you realize what you’ve done? No. I’m not letting you make me the laughingstock of publishing. Ms. Danvers, consider your contract terminated. As for you Keira… I will make my decision when I get back to National City.”

Cat stormed off to collect her things and find her driver. Eliza took the police through to give them contact information for the babies’ parents.

“Alex,” Kara sighed so heavily. “After everything we did… why did you tell her?”

“I didn’t tell her. She found out.” Alex shrugged.

“It’s like you’re not even sorry. What’s going to happen to my job? And Winn’s and James’?”

“You’re wrong. I am sorry, for you and for them. And I’ll do something to work it out with Cat, but I’m not sorry that this whole ridiculous shit show is over.”

%\%\%

Eliza was back in the kitchen when Cat came through dressed to leave.

“I suppose it’s you I should be thanking for the Christmas hospitality. It really was a wonderful day, in spite of how it has ended.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Is there anything I can get you before you leave?”

“No, thank you. I’m sorry I’ve had to fire Alexandra.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. She’ll be fine. She had that email from… oh, what was it? _American Home_? They told her she wouldn’t even have to move to Metropolis, which is great because I like having the girls out here. Although, if they have something for Kara too, I know she’s been thinking of moving there to spend time with her cousin. Not even a thermos for the road? It’s quite late and it’s a long drive.”

But Cat was looking right through Eliza. “The nerve of them! Stealing my people! They won’t get away with it. Do you know what they’re offering? It doesn’t matter. I can outbid them.” She put her bag down and walked back into the house.

%\%\%

Maggie stood in the doorway of the living room, watching Kara bicker with Alex. She loudly cleared her throat. When Alex looked up, she took a step towards her.

“So, not married huh?” She took off her hat and scarf.

“Nope.” Alex said.

“No kids?” She draped the items over the back of the rocking chair.

“Zero.”

“Significant other?” And she took another step closer.

“No.”

“Insignificant other?” She slid her hands down to Alex’s wrists.

“Nuh uh.”

She pressed closer, her eyes watching Alex’s lips twist into a smile when she asked, “And this not being able to cook, are we talking full culinary ineptitude here, or…?”

Alex nodded and leaned down to finally—

“Ms. Danvers!” Cat barged around the corner, determined and oblivious. “I would like to ask you to reconsider leaving my employment.”

Maggie reluctantly stepped back from Alex, who turned to address Cat, even as she held firm to Maggie’s hand.

“As I recall, you fired me.”

“I was in shock. I spoke in haste. I want you to stay on, with a big raise too.”

“A raise?” Alex shot Kara a dubious look.

“Yes. I’ll double whatever _American Home_ will pay you.”

“ _American Home_?”

“Yes, Ms. Danvers, your mother told me about their offer.”

Eliza had quietly entered the room. When Alex saw her, she shrugged and gave a small smile.

“Oh, she did, did she?” She turned back to Cat. “You know, I think we can come to some agreement.”

“Name your terms.” Cat said warily and crossed her arms.

With her free hand, she counted them off. “I will not go write for your competition as long as you don’t fire Kara, or Winn, or James or anyone else who got roped into helping me with articles and appearances. I’ll do one more issue before resigning to spend more time with my family blah blah blah, whatever you want. And I still want that bonus you offered. Agreed?”

Maggie gave Alex’s hand an excited squeeze.

“I like this version of you Ms. Danvers. Agreed. Good. Yes. Now, I think I would like to have a few bites of that eggnog creme brûlée before I go. And you two,” she made a shooing motion at Maggie and Alex, “can go back to whatever it was you were doing. Kara, you’re coming with us.”

“Yes, please. I think it’s about to get gross in here.”

“I heard that!”

Eliza lead the others back to the kitchen, leaving Alex and Maggie the room to themselves.

“Well…” Maggie swung their arms back and forth. “That was exciting. What are you going to do now?”

She let Alex pull her in and press her close. “I’m going to go back to my apartment in the city, pick up my bonus, pick up my new bike, then go pick up my new girlfriend and take her out on a date.”

“A new girlfriend, huh?”

“Yeah, I got one for Christmas.”

Maggie laughed out loud at that and shook her head. She was still smiling when Alex brushed a wisp of hair from her face and brought their lips together in a kiss. Then she felt the earth shake again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


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